I suppose you know, Simon & Garfunkel (including their Tom & Jerry years) and the Everly Brothers would be high among the 1950s and '60s acts if duos counted. But since this is your question, you get to set the parameters.

DEAR JERRY: After seeing a Third Man Records video promoting the debut of the world's first liquid-filled record, I knew I had to have one.

Only a small quantity were made, all of which were exclusively available in Nashville, at the Third Man Record Shop, on Record Store Day 2012 (April 21st).

So I drove six hours to get there the night before, only to find about a dozen people already in line. We all spent the night on the sidewalk shivering in a miserable rainstorm.

At 10 a.m. they opened, and everyone in line got Jack White's 12-inch single of "Sixteen Saltines," a clear vinyl disc, with a psychedelic bluish liquid in the center.

Fortunately it came in a sturdy plastic cover, because during the drive home some of the liquid oozed out of the record, but was contained in the outer bag.

I finally stopped the leak by storing it upright, with the drip source at the top; however, I am hoping you can suggest a permanent fix.

If not, I fear it will lose most of its value.
—Dale Westerman, Little Rock, Ark.

DEAR DALE: Your concern is valid. It is essential that the world's first liquid-filled record actually contain some liquid, though not a full tank.

In truth, none of the special "Sixteen Saltines" liquid edition is filled to capacity, for that would seriously restrict the area in which the liquid can slosh around.

About the only place where the record could spring a leak is on the edge, where the top layer of clear vinyl bonds with the bottom layer, which is why the leak stopped when you rotated the defective spot to the top.

With it still in that position, use enough clear super glue or epoxy to clog the hole and stop the leak.

If you do a neat glue job, the value of your air-tight liquid-filled record will not be affected by the few lost drops.

IZ ZAT SO? Third Man's liquid-filled "Sixteen Saltines" is the first commercially-available record of its kind, making it a sure-fire collectible.

In the eight weeks since its IPO (initial public offering), copies have been selling on the secondary market for as little as $300 and as much as $1,200.

The Sex Pistols recently announced that the seminal song "Pretty Vacant" will be released as a limited edition 7" picture disc on 2nd July - 35 years to the day of its original release.

Featuring one of the most iconic and distinctive guitar and drum build ups in the history of rock n’roll, topped by Johnny Rotten's bite and snarl, ‘Pretty Vacant’ with its anthemic "and we don’t care!" became another rallying cry throughout the country.

The Sex Pistol’s masterful third single arrived in the wake of the controversy that its predecessor "God Save The Queen" spread across the UK as an antidote to the Queen’s Silver Jubilee.

Upon its original release 35 years ago, "Pretty Vacant" reached the top ten in the UK charts and unlike the previous two singles – "Anarchy in the UK" and "God Save The Queen" – Top Of The Pops could not ignore them, broadcasting a now iconic video of the band performing the classic song on their show. The Pistols did not appear in the BBC studio and it is widely accepted the promo video was given to the show without the band's consent.

Only 3500 limited edition 7" picture discs will be available via the Universal Music. Their legendary album ‘Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols’ will also be re-issued in September of this year as an expanded and repacked release to commemorate the 35th Anniversary of its release. More details on the reissue will follow shortly.

Debut release from noisy Philadelphia rockers Ladder Devils, featuring members of now-defunct PA hardcore heroes The Minor Times. The first half features 4 brand new tracks recorded this past fall, while Side B contains their digital only EP, Forget English, remastered and available for the first time in physical format. These 9 songs will surely fuck your eardrums into submission.

HORSEBACK

On The Eclipse

Brutal Panda Records

3 April 2012

With the 'On the Eclipse' EP, Horseback mastermind Jenks Miller delivers us two brand new tracks of dark, ethereal beauty. "On the Eclipse" mixes Krautrock with acoustic pop while "Broken Orb" epitomizes the droney ambience that Horseback orchestrate so well. The stunning artwork, created by renowned artist Justin Bartlett, captures the eerie atmospherics of the songs.

WHORES

Ruiner

Brutal Panda Records

20 December 2011

Atlanta, GA noise merchants WHORES unleash their ferocious debut, Ruiner. These five crushingly heavy tracks were recorded this past summer at The Factory in Atlanta, GA with Kyle Spence (HARVEY MILK) handling the mastering duties.

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Cradle of Filth Annouce Eight Album Reissues

Grammy nominated Cradle Of Filth have been pioneers of extreme music since their debut in 1994 and have continued to evolve with each of their subsequent releases. Never shy of embracing the epic, Cradle have constantly sought to push the boundaries of their art and have continually refused to bow to convention or to conform to prevalent trends and fads. Despite this uncompromising stance, the band is still the most successful British heavy metal band since Iron Maiden with legions of fans around the globe. These rare and early reissues, some never officially released in North America, will now be available in Digi-Pak style packaging and are essential to the collection of any Cradle Of Filth or extreme metal fan.

Reissue July 3: -

CRADLE OF FILTH - From The Cradle To Enslave EP (Reissue)
-1999 EP including 2 original tracks, 2 covers, and a re-recorded track from Dusk And Her Embrace
-Cover tracks: "Death Comes Ripping" (Misﬁts) and "Sleepless" (Anathema)

CRADLE OF FILTH - Cruelty And The Beast (2CD Reissue)
-1998 concept album based on the legend of Hungarian "blood countess" Elizabeth Bathory
-Regarded as an essential COF release, Cruelty and the Beast has been featured in various best-of lists, including Kerrang!’s "Essential Black Metal Albums" list
-Special edition 5 track bonus CD

CRADLE OF FILTH - PanDaemonAeon DVD (Reissue)
-DVD including 2 versions of the band’s ﬁrst promo video for "From the Cradle to Enslave"
-Also includes a making-of documentary & live concert footage from the London Astoria on June 5, 1998

CRADLE OF FILTH - Vempire Or Dark Faerytales (Reissue)
-1996 EP - Cradle Of Filth's first release following their debut album
-Marks the replacement of 3 band members and the introduction of backing vocalist Sarah Jezebel Deva
-Demonstrates a major improvement in the band's songwriting and instrumentals
-First official North American release

CRADLE OF FILTH - The Principle Of Evil Made Flesh (Reissue)
-1994 debut album from Cradle of Filth
-Widely recognized as Cradle's rawest and most authentic black metal recording
-First official North American release

Finnish folk metallers ENSIFERUM will release their fifth album, "Unsung Heroes", on August 27 via Spinefarm Records. The CD was produced by Hiili Hiilesmaa (HIM, SENTENCED) at Petrax studio (CHILDREN OF BODOM, NIGHTWISH) in Hollola, Finland and other locations in the Hämeenlinna area.

Tripp Murphy grew up listening to vinyl records. When he was a kid, there wasn’t YouTube for viewing music videos. There wasn’t iTunes for instantly downloading tracks onto a teensy handheld device. For Murphy, vinyl is enthralling because of the satisfaction that comes from unleashing the record from its sleeve, placing the disc upon its platter, and lowering the needle. He used to stare at his records, enveloping himself in the pleasure of holding something in his hands he could feel, understanding that the artist exerted real effort—not taking their creative process and diligence for granted.

The aesthetic qualities are emotionally gripping; vinyl truly does allow for a more fufilling listening experience. "MP3s are compressed, and they literally take tiny fragments of data out of it to make it smaller," Matt Keen, owner of Gravity Records, explains. "They take bits and pieces here and there out in these algorithms to where they hope that your ear won’t hear it. The more compressed it is, the lower bit rate it is, the more you can hear it. Vinyl is all analog. It’s full wave—there are no pieces missing. It has the full spectrum of sound."

For some, vinyl is about the memories. For the young ones, it’s about engaging oneself in an entirely different—and more realistic—listening experience. Both will revel in vinyl bliss this weekend, as The Calico Room (owned by Murphy) unleashes the Vinyl Revitalization Party.